With things heating up in the Gina Ford case against Zion Williamson, that reminded us how the media treated the Deandre Ayton accusations very differently.
It’s been quite some time since ESPN first broke the news that alleged that Sean Miller had a discussion regarding a $100,000 payment for the commitment of Deandre Ayton. And with the media then showing outrage shortly after, that got us thinking how they are treating the current Zion Williamson situation much differently.
I know it’s all but ancient history for us fans now, but as we can clearly and distinctly remember, it’s the fervor and confidence in which ESPN and Mark Schlabach reported that there was indeed a phone call between Miller and an Adidas rep talking about paying Ayton $100,000.
Arizona Wildcats
The only issue is, is that the call never happened. Also, the timelines initially reported by ESPN as to when the “phone call” took place, were not accurate either.
However, that didn’t stop numerous media pundits like Dick Vitale, Jay Bilas and the ilk, calling for Miller to be fired.
Well, fast forward a couple years, and those critiques of Miller and Arizona have steadily grown quieter. Perhaps it’s because that initially there was little known information regarding the matter, and that facts that would contradict those initial opinions, are now suddenly more accessible?
Hopefully, but as Arizona fans, we can’t help but take a personal slight to it all, especially as recent events regarding Zion Williamson are unfolding before our eyes.
For our readers that maybe don’t know the full situation here, Gina Ford is a former agent to Zion, and in a tell-all situation, the former agent is suing Zion as she admits her former client accepted impermissible benefits in order to attend Duke.
So our question as fans is, where is the media outrage? We have gotten nothing but opinions on why Miller should be fired and Arizona should be punished, yet from those same pundits who were the most boisterous initially are suddenly quiet. Why?
Did they learn their lesson that they need to remain quiet until facts can be fully presented this time? I don’t know, but that still won’t stop us ‘Tin Foil hat wearing’ folks that believe that there is a clear and distinctive bias towards East Coast and in particular Duke.
I personally have to at least give Zion the benefit of the doubt, assuming their is a presumption of innocence here until facts can be presented that would state otherwise. However, I can’t help but note the media’s silence here, and boy is it deafening.